It's All God's Doing

"Today's Devotion" For May 16, 2005

Read: Matthew 5:17-20; Galatians 3:1-25

IT'S ALL GOD'S DOING

"Let it be so now; it is proper for us to do this to fulfill all righteousness." (Mt. 3:15)

Jesus' baptism by John the Baptist in the Jordan River was an incredible event, which reverberates through two millennia to this day. John was preaching repentance and administering a baptism that signified the repentance of those who received it. Then, at the age of 30, Jesus comes to John to begin His own ministry, seeking to be baptized by John. To John this was the height of "lunacy." As far as John could tell, Jesus was sinless. It was, therefore, unnecessary for Jesus to be baptized by John. In John's mind it was ridiculous for Jesus to come to him to receive the baptism of repentance. Led by his own sense of humility and unworthiness before God, John seeks to dissuade Jesus. Jesus' words to John make clear, however, the real meaning of His request and the event: "Let it be so now; it is proper for us to do this to fulfill all righteousness" (Mt. 3:15). With these words, Jesus sets the stage for His ministry and His journey to the Cross. John is led to see that the end of his preaching and baptizing is to prepare the way for Jesus and to "fulfill all righteousness." This is the Father's will, which Jesus' obeyed perfectly for us. What's of great importance also, is that Jesus words include John as well, for He says that "it is proper for 'us' to fulfill all righteousness.

In this act of Jesus to "fulfill all righteousness," our Lord includes "us," His redeemed, baptized children, born of Water and the Word, marked by His Cross, and reborn by the Spirit's power. When John baptized Jesus, he was baptizing Him in our place, for Jesus was also taking our place "to fulfill all righteousness." Jesus was identifying with fallen humanity when He was baptized by John. He serves us by becoming one of us, humbling Himself, taking on the form of a servant, and putting aside His "equality" with God for the sake of the whole world. Passively, described by Isaiah as a "sheep before his shearers is dumb," Jesus begins the process of full identification with sinful human beings, you and me, and puts Himself under the same furious judgment of the Father toward Sin that should be our fate, so that being fully obedient for us and letting God's will be done, together we can "fulfill all righteousness." This is all God's doing.

Incredibly, our Lord Jesus Christ accomplishes the Father's Will by doing nothing. John baptized Him as Jesus complies with the Father's Will in true obedience. He's passive. He's baptized. By doing nothing, He's doing everything for our salvation. He fulfills all righteousness in our place, not by doing great deeds, performing marvelous miracles, or taking over the world, but simply by being obedient to the Father's Will for us. When we stand beside Jesus at the Jordan we stand on holy ground. Jesus' ministry begins at the Jordan with John's baptism, fully obedient to the Father. His ministry will end on Calvary, also fully obedient to the Father. Because we are unable to be perfectly obedient to the Father because of our sinful nature, the stain of mortality and the stench of death should be ours. Yet, in Jesus' obedience we are made right before God. Life is ours instead of death; eterntal life instead of eternal decay. This is all God's doing.

Jesus' obedience is ours by faith in Him. We have done, and can do, nothing by which we might save ourselves. On our own we would be eternally lost to God, living and dying as His enemies rather than as His friends and dear children. But our salvation is God's doing, and He's done it for us in Jesus. His grace, mercy, and love reclaim us and we are given the salvation that we don't deserve. We have God's mark on us in Holy Baptism. We are His. It's all God's doing.

Prayer: Father, thank You for sending Jesus to be my perfect Substitute, obeying Your Will perfectly and fully bearing the curse of my sins upon Himself on the Cross. Without His perfect obedience to Your Will, I could not call you Father, and could not know Your love and forgiveness which gives my life purpose and meaning. Father, I don't deserve what I have received by Your grace through the merits of Christ. I am most grateful for it, however, and give You thanks and praise for Your willingness to sacrifice for Your own Son for me. Lead me this day and everyday to raise my voice and give my life in praise to You and to my Lord Jesus Christ, that I may be a living witness of Your love and salvation in Him to everyone I meet. In Jesus' precious name I pray. Amen.
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--Pastor Boeck

Copyright © 2005 Rev. Richard J. Boeck, Jr. All rights reserved.